SPATIAL ACCESSIBILITY AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL FACTOR OF GAMBLING IN ALBERTA
Project Approved 2005-06

Dr M. John Hodgson (Principal Investigator)
Professor Emeritus, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, U of Alberta
 

The project will address the issue of the geographic distribution of gambling and alcohol opportunities at the local level (DA's). It will advance our understanding of the spatial patterning of gambling opportunities in relation to neighbourhood socio-economic conditions and problem gambling. Another outcome of this project will be a set of tested tools, techniques and routines for investigating the problem of gambling.

Status (Complete):

Research results indicated that the spatial distribution of gambling opportunities in Alberta was similar to that found in similar studies on Ontario and Quebec (i.e., they tended to be located in disadvantaged areas). The findings were supported using spatial and statistical analysis.

Ph.D. student Vladimir Yasenovskiy delivered exploratory results to both academic community (Association of American Geographers annual meeting, 2006) and decision-makers (Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission). The U.S. academic community expressed great interest in the project. An invitation was extended to the authors to submit a paper for possible inclusion in a book edited by the National Institute of Drug Abuse, Washington, D.C. (to be published by Springer Publishing in 2007).

Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, Chicago, IL, March 9, 2006 – oral presentation.

Symposium on Geography and Drug Addiction, Chicago, IL, March 8, 2006 – poster presentation.

The Alberta Gaming Research Institute provides grant funding to support peer-endorsed academic investigations into many aspects of gambling research. The contents, recommendations, and findings of the associated research reports, posted on this website, represent the views of the researcher(s).

Last Updated: 01/25/07